Guide to the Scriptures

Assyria

An ancient empire that, with its rival Babylon, ruled much of the old states of Syria and Palestine throughout most of Old Testament times. Even though the Assyrians were a major power from the mid-12th century B.C. until the close of the 7th century B.C., they were never able to build a stable political structure. They ruled by terror, crushing their enemies by fire and sword or weakening them by deporting large portions of a population to other parts of their empire. The people who were placed under Assyrian rule constantly fought against the empire. (See 2 Kgs. 18–19; 2 Chr. 32; Isa. 7:17–20; 10; 19; 37.)